"Hollywood Commandos": This American Movie Classics documentary for Memorial Day weekend takes a look at Hollywood's vigorous World War II filmmaking efforts (7 p.m., 11:30 p.m., AMC). Using some of the movie industry's top talent, the effort included some 300 training films, many of them with top-notch production values. They bear titles including "Learn and Live" and "Resisting Enemy Interrogation." Jimmy Stewart starred in the very successful recruiting film, "Winning Your...

AMC Networks, which carries "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "Mad Men" and other popular television shows, was removed from Dish Network early Sunday after its contract with the satellite TV company expired without a new agreement. Dish, the second-largest satellite TV provider behind DirectTV, said i t dropped New York-based AMC because it was charging fees that were too high for the low-rated channel. AMC said in a press release that Dish has refused to discuss rates and could not...

"The Three Musketeers" (Fred Niblo, 1921) at 5 and 11:30 p.m. on American Movie Classics. Also, "The Three Musketeers" (Richard Lester, 1973) at 7:05 p.m. and 2 a.m. and "The Four Musketeers" (Lester, 1974) at 9:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. on AMC. One of the most likable of all the silent swashbuckling epics of star-producer-writer Doug Fairbanks was his zesty film of Alexander Dumas' classic of swordplay, 17th Century French palace intrigue and "One for all, all for one!"...

You can't blame AMC, formerly American Movie Classics, for wanting to get into the reality-TV race. But its vehicle is more than a little rickety. "Into Character" (9 p.m. Wednesday) tries to meld movies, the channel's ostensible purpose, and real people. The idea is that regular folks will spend two weeks training to be like movie characters they idolize. In Wednesday's premiere, that's former fat kid Nate Rubin who says he was really, really inspired by "Rocky." Or at least...

You can't blame AMC, formerly American Movie Classics, for wanting to get into the reality-TV race. But its vehicle is more than a little rickety. "Into Character" (9 p.m. Wednesday) tries to meld movies, the channel's ostensible purpose, and real people. The idea is that regular folks will spend two weeks training to be like movie characters they idolize. In Wednesday's premiere, that's former fat kid Nate Rubin who says he was really, really inspired by "Rocky." Or at least...

If you had to guess, how many "movie musicals" -- and we use that term in its loosest possible sense -- would you say came out of Hollywood in the 1970s? Go on, take a stab. Six? Seven? Think hard. You know you saw "Saturday Night Fever" in '77. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was released in 1975, but it may have taken most Americans a few years to discover that sassy bit of subversion. We can't stand it. You'll never get the number, not in a million years of pondering.

- "The Pretender" is one of my favorite shows, but I haven't heard if it's coming back or not. In the last episode of the season, it looked like all of the characters would be killed. Currently airing on Wednesdays, the NBC adventure series will return to Saturdays when it begins its third season in September. Michael T. Weiss definitely will be back as genius Jarod, but as for the other regulars, you'll have to tune in this fall and see. - There was a TV-movie some...

Time waits for no man, even in Tinseltown, where dreams of eternal youth spring eternal on decaying film stock. Among the many reminders that tempus, indeed, continues to fugit is the increasing number of cable channels dedicated to history and nostalgia. Viewers of a certain age know they're getting old when pictures they fell in love with at the local drive-in start showing up on American Movie Classics. Nostalgia will always be a growth industry in this country, so it...

You've seen them on late-night TV or on American Movie Classics--those oldie-but-goodie three-hanky weepers featuring good women battling tough circumstances (while wearing impeccable wardrobes). Known as "women's pictures," these melodramas were a staple of Hollywood's golden age. In honor of archetypal weeper "Stella Dallas" (1937), which is being shown at the Gene Siskel Film Center 6 p.m. Tuesday, Michael Wilmington lists his favorite classic-era women's pictures. ...

You've seen them on late-night TV or on American Movie Classics--those oldie-but-goodie three-hanky weepers featuring good women battling tough circumstances (while wearing impeccable wardrobes). Known as "women's pictures," these melodramas were a staple of Hollywood's golden age. In honor of archetypal weeper "Stella Dallas" (1937), which is being shown at the Gene Siskel Film Center 6 p.m. Tuesday, Michael Wilmington lists his favorite classic-era women's pictures. ...

- Will Neve Campbell return to "Party of Five" this fall? Though she's had movie success in the "Scream" thrillers (and, to a lesser degree, the recent "Wild Things"), the young actress is slated to continue to play Julia on the Fox series next season. It's already been renewed for another year beyond that, and it presents its fourth-season finale Wednesday. - Please settle a bet. Who starred as the woman in the TV-movie "The Burning Bed"? It was Farrah...

"The Three Musketeers" (Fred Niblo, 1921) at 5 and 11:30 p.m. on American Movie Classics. Also, "The Three Musketeers" (Richard Lester, 1973) at 7:05 p.m. and 2 a.m. and "The Four Musketeers" (Lester, 1974) at 9:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. on AMC. One of the most likable of all the silent swashbuckling epics of star-producer-writer Doug Fairbanks was his zesty film of Alexander Dumas' classic of swordplay, 17th Century French palace intrigue and "One for all, all for one!"...

Looking for love? Reach for your remote. Starting in January, seekers of romance need look no further than their TV sets, no matter what time of the day or night the craving to be swept away strikes. That's when American Movie Classics launches its Romance Classics channel, 24 hours a day of romance programming targeted to a female audience that is "yearning for love," says Kate McEnroe, creator and president of the new channel. But don't look for advice on spicing up your marriage or...

- "The Pretender" is one of my favorite shows, but I haven't heard if it's coming back or not. In the last episode of the season, it looked like all of the characters would be killed. Currently airing on Wednesdays, the NBC adventure series will return to Saturdays when it begins its third season in September. Michael T. Weiss definitely will be back as genius Jarod, but as for the other regulars, you'll have to tune in this fall and see. - There was a TV-movie some...

AMC Networks, which carries "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "Mad Men" and other popular television shows, was removed from Dish Network early Sunday after its contract with the satellite TV company expired without a new agreement. Dish, the second-largest satellite TV provider behind DirectTV, said i t dropped New York-based AMC because it was charging fees that were too high for the low-rated channel. AMC said in a press release that Dish has refused to discuss rates and could not...

- Will Neve Campbell return to "Party of Five" this fall? Though she's had movie success in the "Scream" thrillers (and, to a lesser degree, the recent "Wild Things"), the young actress is slated to continue to play Julia on the Fox series next season. It's already been renewed for another year beyond that, and it presents its fourth-season finale Wednesday. - Please settle a bet. Who starred as the woman in the TV-movie "The Burning Bed"? It was Farrah...

If you had to guess, how many "movie musicals" -- and we use that term in its loosest possible sense -- would you say came out of Hollywood in the 1970s? Go on, take a stab. Six? Seven? Think hard. You know you saw "Saturday Night Fever" in '77. "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was released in 1975, but it may have taken most Americans a few years to discover that sassy bit of subversion. We can't stand it. You'll never get the number, not in a million years of pondering.

"Hollywood Commandos": This American Movie Classics documentary for Memorial Day weekend takes a look at Hollywood's vigorous World War II filmmaking efforts (7 p.m., 11:30 p.m., AMC). Using some of the movie industry's top talent, the effort included some 300 training films, many of them with top-notch production values. They bear titles including "Learn and Live" and "Resisting Enemy Interrogation." Jimmy Stewart starred in the very successful recruiting film, "Winning Your...

Time waits for no man, even in Tinseltown, where dreams of eternal youth spring eternal on decaying film stock. Among the many reminders that tempus, indeed, continues to fugit is the increasing number of cable channels dedicated to history and nostalgia. Viewers of a certain age know they're getting old when pictures they fell in love with at the local drive-in start showing up on American Movie Classics. Nostalgia will always be a growth industry in this country, so it...

Looking for love? Reach for your remote. Starting in January, seekers of romance need look no further than their TV sets, no matter what time of the day or night the craving to be swept away strikes. That's when American Movie Classics launches its Romance Classics channel, 24 hours a day of romance programming targeted to a female audience that is "yearning for love," says Kate McEnroe, creator and president of the new channel. But don't look for advice on spicing up your marriage or...